The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1887-02-11
MARL AS A FERTILIZER.
4 Species Of Earth to Which Little Atten-
ton Is Paid in the West.

miNiufe OF CARBONATE GA line. Clay aEC
silicious sand. According as the lime.
clay or sand predominatcs the mari is
classed as ca,careous. clayey or sandy.
| The carbonate of lime is often in the
form of minute shells. whose structure
may be clearly seen by the aid of \
masnifying-g!ass. A very valuable
mari, known as "Ereen sand" is found
in many parts of New Jersey. 1t is the
result of decomposition of rocks con-
tanning lime and silica. In portions
of Canada whitish clayey mari is
found which produces excellent results
when applied to land devoted to grass
or grain. The value of mari As fer
tilizer was known TO the ancient Ro-
mans. 1t was also used by the ancient
Gauls and Britons, though they prac-
ticed very rude sort of husbandry and
made very little Use of common ma
nure. In Germany. France and Great
Britain much attention has been given
TO mari. Specimens from all the large
deposits have been analyzed in order to
ascertain their commercial value. In
many places where there are good facil-
| tiles for transportation ii Is an article
Of commerce. and many marl-beds are
sources of wealth to their owners.
That vast quantities of excellent
mari exist in various parts Of the West
is altogether likely, though few at.
tempts have been made 70 discover or
utilize them. Marl is often found 1T
| the bottom of peat or muck SwampS,
and in ravineS and other low places.
1t is generally found quite near the
surface, being covered by some veget:-
BILE formations. Sometimes there i.
nothing but a turf OF grass over it. Ii
! is ordinarily of slate or blush white
color. heavy. wet and somewhat spor.
gv. Its surface is sometimes blackened
by the dark soil that rests upon it OF
the humus that has been deposited on
it. On exposure To the air on Il dry
spot of land it parts with its moisture
and becomes u white crumbly mass,
and quite light in weight. In this con-
dition it is easily spread over the land.
| 1t is common practice 10 DIG mari in
the fall. to draw /; 70 TIE places where
! it is wanted. AID To allow it to remain
in heaps Ike manure till the following
spring. when it is spread over the greer
sward or plowed land. If the land i:
hilly or sloping. most Of the mari Is
applied to the higher portions. from
which it will gradually find its way to
those that are lower. On level land it
should be spread uniformly over all the
surface.
To distinguish mari from whitish clay
orsandy loan it is only necessary To pour
any kind of acid on 4 sample of it
placed in cup. If it is mari ii will
efferyensce like ordinary limestone or
carbonate Of soda. This effervescace Is
caused by the escape of carbonic acid
from the carbonate OF lime. of which
the mari is largely composed. II there
| is much eifcrvensce the mari Is cOn>id-
cred rich:. if there is but little it is
regarded as poor The value of mari
is generally rated by the amount of
carbonate Of lime it contains. Shell
mari generally contains small guam
tity of phoSphoric acid. which is very
valuable for producing al kinds of
crops. but is especially valuable for in.
creasing the yield of grain. Mari pro-
duces excellent results when applied rs
Il top dressing 70 grass lands. either
pasture or meadow 1t stimulates the
growth of grass and clover and causes
them to Kill out weeds and moses. 1t
does not cause grass and clover to
grow rank as they do when fresh dung
IS applied to the soil, neither does it
impart diSagreeable flavor TO them.
Like other forms of lime. it corrects
the acidity OF soils and improves the
quality while it increases the quantity
of the most valuable plants. Grass on
land that has received one application
of mari is generally of 4 rich green
color. sweet ali thick.
Marl should not be mixed with orli-
nary manure. rs it is likely to drive of
the ammonia it contains. Ifmixcd with
peat or muck. however. it produces Il
good effect. Applied to land under
cultivation. it benefits the soil in two
ways. 1t i OF physical advantage in
rendering hard, clayey soils more loose
so they can he more readily worked.
Chemically ii affords food u most
plants. rs the grains. grasses and
clovers. while it performs an important
Office in ha~teaing the decay of ye@e-
table matter on which plants feed.
Cold aml damp soils are greatly bene-
fitted by an application of mari. II
lSutraiizcs the acids found in hUmu>
and enables /. to produce valuable
crops. An application of mari to land
produces an immediate effect on the
crop growing on it. Its beneficial in
fluence also continues for many Years.
The more often it i disturbed by the
pillow. cultiyator. or harrow the faster
will it disintegrate ana the more effect
ual will be its results. It, tendency is
to sink on light soils. especially when
they are under cultivation. but the
pillow will serve TO bring it to the sur
face again any time it is used. Mari is
the cleanest fertilizer. except gypsum.
that can be applied To the land. 1t is
also very easy to handle.-Chicago
Times.
1t is impossible to know whether
you have made profit unless accounts
are kept. Charge the hens with al
th, food allowed and also interest IN